The story of Sergeant Martin Riggs and Murgh'Tal is indicative of the consequences that can arise when the unlimited jurisdiction of an Inquisitor is paired with extenuating circumstances and lack of forethought. Turge Dongswoll was in deep cover, investigating a nascent rebellion with possible ties to Xenos. He discovered that the secret rebels were expecting a shipment of exotic weaponry from an unknown source. With his retinue spread thin with the investigation, Turge made use of his nearest contacts: Sergeant Martin Riggs, an unstable veteran of the Catachan Jungle Fighters and Murgh'Tal, a Dire Avenger who was weary of the Path of the Warrior.

The Meeting

Murgh'Tal, Eldar Dire Avenger in civilian garb.

Martin Riggs, in Catachan formal wear.

"Hey, look friend, let's just cut the shit. Now we both know why the Inquisitor paired us together. My superiors either think I'm suicidal, just a moment away from fragging the nearest Commissar, in which case I'm frelled and nobody wants me in their unit; or they think I'm a fight away from turning to Khorne, in which case I'm frelled and nobody wants me in their unit. Basically, I'm frelled.""Guess what Monkeigh?""What?""I don't want to work with you!""Hey, don't.""We are actors without agency, choice does not come into it. We have both been...'frelled.'""Terrific.""Truly Cegorach hates me, this is my burden.""Hate him back. Works for me and the Emperor."
-Riggs & Murgh'Tal after their initial meeting with Turge.

Turge had no problem bringing Riggs into his operation, as he was simply able to exercise his authority with the soldier's superiors. Murgh'Tal was not at any human's beck and call however, he was brought in thanks to a blood-oath he had made, after Turge snatched some stolen soulstones off Xelia Luvt's nightstand and turned them over to his Craftworld. As he was a barely restrained psychopath, Riggs required little more incentive to take orders from Turge other than being allowed to kill anyone who got in his way. Murgh'Tal was initially incredulous that Turge would call in his debt over such a small matter, but then Turge revealed something he had obtained from the rebels in the course of the investigation: a Dark Eldar fusion pistol. Neither Turge or Murgh'Tal could believe that the Dark Eldar would deign to provide human rebels with anything other than a gruesome death, but the Inquisitor hoped the Avenger's insight would be helpful to putting an end to the plot before it came to fruition.

Following Leads

The trail led to the Chartist Captain who had smuggled the fusion pistol in with a crate of typical trade goods. The Captain was awaiting authorization for his shuttle to return to his main vessel in orbit and had deployed a number of his ship's guards around the port to deter snoops while they waited. Though Murgh'Tal wore a hooded cloak to conceal his race, the Captain nearly had an aneurysm upon seeing his silhouette in the distance and ordered his men to attack; while he retreated into the shuttle. In the ensuing battle, Riggs and Murgh'Tal alternately saved each others lives, each earning a measure of respect for the other and eventually left all the gun-toting guards dead. As they approached the shuttle though it exploded violently. Looking about in the wreckage, Murgh'Tal found some of the scraps of the mechanism for the bomb responsible. Riggs identified it as a mercury switch, sometimes used by the elusive members of the Superior Assault Squadron. Before they could report their findings to Turge however, they were ambushed by the selfsame squadron. The duo fought bravely but they were subdued, bound and blindfolded before being brought before Corinth Cordoba.

The Inquisitor explained that the deceased captain had not brought the Dark Eldar weapon from outside the system, but had instead been given it in orbit by apparent members of the Nemiraian Guard. The Inquisitor believed that the Captain had been a mere proxy to the seemingly criminal guards and that the guards themselves were a proxy to someone even more highly placed. Perhaps as many as seven layers of proxies stood between the rebels and their mysterious supplier, who had intimate knowledge of Imperial trade and patrol routes.